In terms of being an immediately recognizable talisman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the vertical black scoring pylon near the start-finish line could hold its own with the Pagoda and the Borg-Warner Trophy. Only now, the familiar frontstretch fixture has been removed.

Crews using a pair of heavy cranes unbolted the huge tower from its concrete base last week and swung it aside. The tower contains vertical electronic lights for the car numbers occupying each one of the traditional 33 positions in the Indianapolis 500 starting field, topped by a display for the leader’s speed on each lap.

In place since 1994 – it succeeded an original scoring pylon that went up in 1959 – it will be replaced by a new, higher-technology scoring pylon in time for next month’s Brickyard 400 weekend. The existing structure lacked space to track the 43 cars that typically start a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. That race weekend will also feature the NASCAR Nationwide Series and TUDOR United Sportscar Series, both of which typically start more than 33 cars as well.

40 Responses to “Iconic Indy scoring pylon comes down”

BOOOO, is nothing sacred? So sad to see these icons go 1 by 1. Oh well, those races, I feel, are boring anyway. (except for the crashes, :O, oh c’mon, don’t look so shocked, it’s a carry over from why people went to the Roman slaughter fests) I’ve heard, the infield parties at these races are why many people go, and couldn’t even tell you who was wining.

Can I “assume” (we ALL know what That word means!) that when You go to Road America in Elkhart, come “race days end” you “venture over” to Plymouth Rock campground just down and across the road for the Gladitorial shenanigin’s?

Hi Robster, oh boy, Plymouth Rock campground, now that takes me back. Me and 6 other friends took our motorcycles and camped out (if you could call it that) one year, man did we have fun. Thanks for reminding me of that! WHOOOHOO!!!

YES ………………. “back in the days” I started out camping also, but NOT there (LOL), we started out @ The Sheboygan Marsh campsite on the North side of town, then the famous (or is that “infamous”) “Farmers Field” just a little south and west of “Plymouth Rockin-out”.

Best kept secret of the area was the local college where one could sleep dormitory style (Guys and Gals separated of course) with a REAL bed and sheets, & A/C for almost nuthin’ as far as cost AND have use of the shower next morning!

Another well kept secret was the restaurant / bar “Schwarz’s” in the next town north – Saint Ann.

Steak for Two was what everyone ordered (24 oz!) and you would place your order when you set your reservation and then just start up with what WI. is “famous for (in THAT area)” which is curbside cocktailing until your table was ready and following that, the food came out immediately.

VERY popular with the race teams and track workers, and usually kept secret from everyone else (guess I just “blew it” here, eh?)

Also Seibkens in downtown Elkhart Lake, for their home made dessert and to end the evening the “savage competition” we would undertake @ the local go kart track!

Another popular spot was the local churches morning breakfast in the basement for a “buck a head” which many workers and a # of drivers would take advantage of.

What they really need to do is get rid of all that stuff in the infield so a person can actually see the whole race, not just what is only in front of you as the cars go past. They way it is now, a guy only is seeing half of the race.

They are getting smaller. I think it was last week when only 42 cars showed up. Most weeks they have a few “start and parks” who get their appearance money and that’s all. Saves wear-n-tear on the race car. There is not enough sponsors and money to go around these days.

C’Moon folks it is a piece of hardware not a human. It is the 21st Century. We need to update. The past is the past. Have you ever seen an Indy car or a Nascar? They are not cars they are computers on 4 wheels. I own a 2012 Boss Mustang.
I am 77 and always looking forward.

With so many of the other changes that have taken place at the track over the last few years, I doubt most people will even notice that the scoring pylon has even been replaced. As a person who attended the Indy 500 religiously for nearly thirty years and attended the Brickyard 400 from it’s inaugural race up until a few years ago. I have to agree with Mr. Howard Arbiture about the majority of these races being pretty boring. Unless of course there is some kind of problem. The first 20 or 30 laps are exciting as drivers jockey for position, and the last 20 or 30 are exciting for the same reason. After the first round of pit stops begin, you can wander around socializing and taking in the craziness of the infield without missing much at all. There is constant color commentary blasting through speakers everywhere around the track, so you are always aware of what’s happening with your favorite driver. Although it’s been tamed down a lot since the first race I attended, I’ve seen everything you can possibly imagine taking place in the infield of that track. And, I do mean everything!!! At least the infield area truly is “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”!!!

What “Historical Significance”??.. did you folks read the same article I just did? This pylon has been there since 1994.. a whole 20 yrs…not exactly museum material.. this place needs a pylon that can score ALL the cars.. as it said in the article, 3 of the Series that run there start more than 33 cars.. the track is no longer making most of it’s money from the Indy 500, so they are updating accordingly.. let it go folks.. 20 yrs isn’t HISTORICAL.. now the one that was there in the 50′s might qualify for that.. wonder what scrapyard THAT one ended up in??

Can’t speak for other areas of the country, but in our state 20 years is significant enough to qualify a car for Collector Plates…maybe vehicles are a special category, but other auto related icons not.

Why are people acting like this is killing an icon? It replaced the iconic one which was the first on put in place in the late 50s. This is just another upgrade.

Secondly, this pylon did have room for all 43 starters, that is why it was put in place in 1994, when the Cup cars came to town. The original one had 33 fixed places. This one had “rotating” positions at the bottom to accommodate the remaining 10 spots that were not covered by the 33 fixed positions.

Move it to a location in turn two or turn four so it is still useful and embrace the new technology. It isn’t that sacrilegious people. Get over it.